by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

by Steve DiMeglio, USA TODAY Sports

Nike is officially expected to welcome world No. 1 Rory McIlroy into the company's family of golfers Monday night at the Fairmont Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The young, cool and wildly popular McIlroy will start sporting the famous swoosh this week when he and Woods make their season debuts Thursday in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

"Nike's combination of Rory and Tiger is certainly at the pantheon of endorsements. It is the quintessential monopolistic endorsement deal," said Rick Horrow, a visiting sports marketing expert at Harvard Law School and the host of Bloomberg TV's Sportfolio. "This is clearly the connection that will create the most excitement, the most noise and maybe the most controversy in golf."

Terms of the deal are not expected to be released, but several reports have said the new deal is in the neighborhood of $200 million to $250 million over 10 years. If the deal with Nike is confirmed at $250 million, it would be the most lucrative endorsement ever negotiated in golf.

The 23-year-old Ulsterman cemented his position as the top golfer in the world last year when he won five titles worldwide, including his second major championship at the PGA Championship. He also won money titles on the PGA Tour and European Tour, and he was voted Player of the Year on both sides of the Atlantic. Woods, who won three times last year, is No. 3 in the world and stands at 14 major championships, four behind Jack Nicklaus' record.

"This is a win-win-win-win," Horrow said. "It's good for Nike because they will wrap up the presumptive apparent heir to Tiger Woods, and McIlroy looks like he has the wherewithal to pass Nicklaus' record of 18 majors. This confirms Nike's ability to control the world of sports marketing and define their brand. This sews up golf for Nike through the next generation.

"This is good for Rory because this should put him in the top 5 or top 10 of athletes worldwide in popularity and earning power. This is good for golf because the Tiger vs. Rory rivalry has so many interesting subplots. And this is good for endorsements. This confirms that endorsements move the needle."

McIlroy split with Titleist at the end of 2012 and earlier this year ended his relationship with Jumeirah, a Dubai-based luxury hotel company that was his first corporate sponsor. As well, another former sponsor, eye-glasses giant Oakley, is suing McIlroy and Nike for breach of contract.

Last week, golfcentraldaily.com published photos it says a passerby took of McIlroy's golf bag at the Els Club in Dubai. In it were 15 golf clubs - 14 of which are of the Nike brand. The photos of the bag show Nike VR II Pro blade irons, a 3- and 5-fairway wood, and a 46-, 50- and 54-degree wedges with "Rors" stamped on them. As well, the new Nike Covert driver is in the bag.

McIlroy's performance with his new clubs will come under close scrutiny. Six-time major champion Nick Faldo is among many who have voiced concern over McIlroy's switch. Golf's history is littered with players making equipment changes and then struggle.

McIlroy, however, is not concerned.

"No, not at all," he told reporters in Dubai before the DP World Tour Championship last November. "I think all the manufacturers make great equipment nowadays and it's all very similar â?? a lot of them get their clubs made at the same factories. I don't think it will make any difference.

" â?¦ I've started the process of trying a few new things. I've tinkered about a little bit with the new ones, enough to feel comfortable going into next season."